Piano string inserter



Feb. 8, 1955 J, A, HOKE 2,701,499

PIANO STRING INSERTER Filed Sept. 4, 1953 XXX .30 y 8 1 N VEN TOR.

JafinAJYake ATTORNEYS United States Patent PIANO STRING INSERTER John A. Hoke, Shillington, Pa.

Application September 4, 1953, Serial No. 378,449

1 Claim. (Cl. 84-458) This invention relates to an instrument or tool for inserting piano strings in a piano.

The object of the invention is to provide a tool which will facilitate the insertion and removal of strings from a mm. P Another object of the invention is to provide a hand tool which will permit the user to insert strings in a piano in ordinarily inaccessible or diflicult to reach locations, and wherein the length of the tool can be adjusted or varied as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a piano string inserter which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the tool of the present invention being used.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tool.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tool showing a piano string mounted therein.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

1Figure 7 is a perspective view of the bracket or spring p ate.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a bar which may be cylindrical, and secured to an end of the bar 10 is a head 11, Figure 6. The head 11 is provided with a socket 12 for receiving an end of the bar 10, and the head and bar may be secured to gether in any suitable manner, as for example by weld- The head 11 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots 14 and 15 which extend along one surface, and these slots are adapted to receive the piano wire or string 16. A clamping bracket 17 is arranged contiguous to the slots 14 and 15, and the bracket 17 is provided with oifset end portions 18, there being a circular opening 19 interposed or arranged between the ends of the bracket 17. Arranged in registry with the opening 19 is a threaded opening 20 which is arranged in the head 11. A suitable securing element such as a bolt or screw 21 extends through the opening 19 and into threaded engagement with the opening 20. Thus, by loosening or tightening the bolt 21 the tension on the piano wire 16 can be varied or adjusted. Slidably mounted on the bar 10 is a block 21, Figures 2 and 4. The block 21 is provided with a cylindrical bore 22 for slidably engaging the bar 10, and the block 21 is further provided with a pair of spaced apart openings 23 for slidably receiving the legs of the piano wire 16. A handle 24 is secured to the block 21 in any suitable manner, and the handle 24 is adapted to be gripped in the hand so as to facilitate the manipulation of the tool.

A means is provided for maintaining the block 21 immobile in its various adjusted positions on the bar 10. This means comprises a thumb screw 25 which extends through a threaded opening 26 in the block 21. A knurled knob 27 is arranged on the outer end of the screw 25 for facilitating the rotation thereof.

If desired the length of the tool can be increased. Thus, an end of the bar 10 is provided with a threaded socket 28, and a rod 29 has a threaded stem 30 for engaging the socket 28. The rod 29 may also be cylindrical and may be of the same diameter as the bar 10. A channel or slot 31 may be provided in the head 11 on the opposite side from the slots 14 and 15. The channel 31 is adapted to accommodate a wrapped single bass string by simply loosening the bolt 21 and then reversing the spring 17 and bolt or screw 21 to the opposite side. Thus, the bass string can be clamped in the channel 31 by the spring 17 From the foregoing it is apparent that a tool has been provided for facilitating the insertion of piano strings in a piano. In use the string 16 to be inserted can be threaded through the slots 14 and 15 and through the openings 23 in the block 21. A portion of the string 16 extends forwardly from the tool as shown in Figure 3 and this forwardly extending looped portion is adapted to be placed in engagement with a peg of conventional construction on the piano by means of the tool. The piano string 16 is slidably mounted in the openings 23 and is also slidably mounted in the slots 14 and 15 so that when the piano string is hooked over the peg the instrument can be Withdrawn leaving the piano string in place on the peg. The length of the tool or instrument can be increased by screwing on the rod 29 to the end as shown in Figures 1 and 8. The position of the handle 24 can be adjusted by loosening the thumb screw 25 until the handle is moved to the desired position. Also, the tension exerted by the spring 17 on the piano string 16 can be varied as desired by means of the bolt 21'. The handle 24 can also be used to anchor on top of the piano to hold the new strings or string in vertical position while inserting either end in tuning pin.

I claim:

A piano stringing tool, comprising a cylindrical bar, a head provided with a socket for receiving an end of said bar, there being a pair of longitudinally extending spaced parallel slots in one side of said head, a spring clip arranged contiguous to said slots, said slots adapted to receive a piano string therein, a block adjustably mounted on said bar and provided with a central bore for slidably receiving said bar, and a handle secured to said block, said block being provided with a pair of openings for the slidable projection therethrough of the piano wire or string, the opposite side of said head being provided with a longitudinally extending channel, a thumb screw extending through said block and engaging said bar, a knurled knob on the outer end of said thumb screw, there being a threaded socket in an end of said bar, and a cylindrical rod of the same diameter as said bar having a threaded shank engaging said threaded socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

